Cold weather climbing can be dreamy…or a nightmare!
One person’s “perfect send conditions” can be another’s psych-crushing freeze out! Learn ten tips for staying warm and climbing your best in cold weather.
(Photo above: Chris Hanke leveraging cold, crisp conditions to work the bouldery Zoolander (5.14d), Red River Gorge, KY. Photo by: Jonathan Hörst.)
Few things adversely affect climbing performance more than cold fingers and toes. Not only does the vital sense of feeling suffer, but cold fingers don’t function efficiently and you may over-grip and power out more quickly.
Certainly, each person has a unique tolerance to cold and a different idea of what represents “good winter conditions.” Many factors come into play including your metabolic rate and percent body fat (and amount of brown fat), your frequency of exposure to cold conditions, how many layers of clothes (and the clothing materials and type), your age and genetic make-up. Even the foods and beverages you consume can influence how you feel and perform during a cold day at the boulders or crags.
If you’re one of those hardy folks who enjoy a bitterly cold day of pulling down on stone, then here are ten tips to help you stay warm and perform your best. (For the most cold-adverse climbers, the best advice may be to get your climb on indoors!)
10 Tips for Climbing Your Best in Cold Conditions
1. Do more than your normal amount of warm-up activity. Beginning with an indoor warm-up of mobility work, mild stretching, some exercises, and hangboard will increase circulation before you step outdoors into the cold. Do additional warm-up work at the boulders or crag. Cranking a few easy boulders or a moderate sport route or two may help you acclimate to the day’s conditions.
2. Dress right! Wear several layers that you can add or peel off as needed due to changing air temperature and body conditions. A wicking base layer or pair of non-cotton-containing tights is great against the skin. Layer with a sweatshirt, hoodie, or sweater, and top it off with a down coat or “puffy” to maintain core warmth between efforts. Don’t forget a hat and gloves!
3. Keep a positive mindset as you work through the initial feeling of numbness. Many climbers can overcome the initial discomfort thanks to reactive hyperemia that brings increased blood flow to the fingers and toes. It’s a process you can learn to make work for you – unless you have Raynaud’s Phenomenon, a genetic condition that can make climbing on cold days virtually impossible.
4. Pre-warm your shoes before every climb! This is a biggie…and the easiest way to get the job done is to stow your shoes inside of your coat (against your belly or chest) prior to putting them on. Also, consider wearing a comfortable pair of climbing shoes rather than a super-tight or new shoes which tend to squeeze warming blood out of your toes.
5. Put a hand-warmer (chemical or electric) in your pockets – great for extra warmth between climbs. Some folks like having a hand-warmer in their chalk bag, although others find this unhelpful and perhaps bothersome.
6. Bring a portable heater to the boulders or crag. This may seem like an extreme measure, but it’s an increasingly common practice among boulderers. Furthermore, having a portable heater might make you a few new friends!
7. Keep your heart rate and core temperature elevated with regular movement! Doing occasional arm swings, jumping jacks, burpees and, perhaps, even taking a brief trail run will have a welcome warming effect. Pro tip: Consuming a beetroot and citrulline supplement, like PhysiVantage Sendure-X, will support blood flow to your extremities – good for finger warmth and endurance!
8. Consume a warm beverage! Bring a thermos with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate – sipping between boulders and climbs can be game-changing!
9. Warm your hands mid-climb. Placing the palm of your free hand on the back of your neck is a great on-route performance hack! Alternate hands every 10 seconds or so.
10. Seek out sun between climbs. If your boulder or project route is in the shade, do find a nearby sunny spot to soak up some sunshine between goes.
Copyright © 2024 Eric J. Hörst | All Rights Reserved.
